Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Event: DogCon Countdown #7 - Natalie Duvall

The first ever DogCon, hosted by Raw Dog Screaming Press, will be part Halloween party, part writer's weekend, part State of the Dog address. This is an invitation only event but if it goes well could be a public event next year!

Natalie Duvall received her undergraduate degree in English (the best subject ever) from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia. While there, she was able to further the love of Jane Austen that she first developed when watching Emma Thompson's adaptation of Sense and Sensibility and reading her sister's copy of Pride and Prejudice. Through the tutelage of Dr. JoAlyson Parker, Natalie was able to experience ALL of Jane's works, though she admits to disliking Persuasion and really liking Northanger Abbey.

It was during this time that Natalie also picked up the Regency anthology, A Christmas Holiday. This was Natalie's first taste of "contemporary" Regency romance. Natalie recommends this book to anyone, especially the story "Sheer Sorcery" by Elizabeth Thornton.

Having loved the romance fiction genre since age sixteen when she stole A Substitute Husband from the desk at work, Natalie enrolled in the Writing Popular Fiction Master's program at Seton Hill University. There she met (and continues to meet) many wonderful writers and people (see the Links page for more info), including her husband, Matt. However, Natalie didn't write Regency at the time. She wrote a terrible contemporary romcom entitled O'Feurstein's Education.
Skip several years. Natalie picked up or was gifted books by Eloisa James and Victoria Alexander.

Natalie lives in a big old house (circa 1900 -- so not as old as the Regency) in a charming little town in Central PA. She enjoys walking as much as possible, unless it's cold out. She is married with cats and a kid. Her real job (the one that pays the bills) involves teaching 11th grade English (British lit!). Her non-fiction work appears in Fine Living Lancaster. In what free time is left, she trains in Krav Maga and is a lackadaisical triathlete.

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NEWS Man of War

BOOKS I can't tell you what an honor it is to write a sequel to a Science Fiction Grandmaster's novel. Thank you to Meteor House a...

NEWS Starrie in Publishers Weekly

Nice review from Publisher's Weekly for Starrie (From the World of Ambasadora)!
"Miller’s short third novel in the space-faring, caste-bound, hierarchically polyamorous, and socially striated Ambasadora universe (after 2013’s Greenshift) manages to balance the exoticized presentation of the setting with relatable human interaction...the romance between Ben and Naela highlights the emotional side of reaching out to those who are different from you, even in a world where those differences are stylized and codified."

TALKING ABOUT MAN OF WAR

"More than just demonstrating how the best science fiction thrills with action, and explores romance in new and unexpected ways, Heidi Ruby Miller gives us something equally important -- representation, through an exploration of Farmer's classic Iroquois character Two Hawks. Anyone interested in page-turners with diversity should stop what they're doing and read Man of War." -John Edward Lawson, Bram Stoker Award finalist and author of Bibliophobia

TALKING ABOUT THE AMBASADORA SERIES

"AMBASADORA has a lot to say about the human spirit and it says it well." -MIKE RESNICK Nebula and Hugo Award-winning Author of the Santiago series

TALKING ABOUT STARRIE

"Miller’s short third novel in the space-faring, caste-bound, hierarchically polyamorous, and socially striated Ambasadora universe (after 2013’s Greenshift) manages to balance the exoticized presentation of the setting with relatable human interaction...the romance between Ben and Naela highlights the emotional side of reaching out to those who are different from you, even in a world where those differences are stylized and codified." -Publisher's Weekly

TALKING ABOUT MANY GENRES

"...a beautiful and insightful must-have book for any writer, from newbie to working pro. Highly recommended!" -JONATHAN MABERRY NYT Bestselling Author of the Joe Ledger series

TALKING ABOUT STARRIE

"STARRIE is one ripping fast book and a well told story. I loved it!" --Basil Sands, The Big Thrill

TALKING ABOUT HEIDI'S WRITING

"...a writer-crush on Heidi Ruby Miller. I mean, holy crap, this girl can write! This is how you write Science-Fiction." -CARY CAFFREY Bestselling Author of The Girls from Alcyone trilogy

TALKING ABOUT GREENSHIFT

TALKING ABOUT STARRIE

"Take authentic, straight-ahead space opera. Stir in a highly trained, kick-ass assassin on a mission of vengeance. Toss in a career soldier and watch them battle together, and grow together, as adversity piles on. Serve hot! Heidi Ruby Miller’s STARRIE serves up the perfect concoction of nonstop, take-no-prisoners SF action and romance, set against the intriguing backdrop of the brutal and dangerous world of AMBASADORA, and deftly leaves us wanting more." -Win Scott Eckert, coauthor with Philip José Farmer of The Evil in Pemberley House and author of The Scarlet Jaguar, winner of the 2014 New Pulp Award

TALKING ABOUT MARKED BY LIGHT

"Talk about an outlaw hero that is larger than life. Talk about a hero who changes worlds." -JENNA BENNET NYT Bestselling Author of The Fortune series

TALKING ABOUT HEIDI'S STORIES

TALKING ABOUT STARRIE

"With explosive action, kick-ass heroes and romance that hits all the right notes, STARRIE gives fans of science fiction romance everything they want—at a breakneck pace. Plan to stay up all night finishing this one, it’s impossible to put down!" - RHONDA MASON Author of The Empress Game